Social media sites - including Meta's Facebook, Instagram and Threads, X/Twitter and Snapchat - have until March 16, 2025, to carry out risk assessments and outline how they will ensure they meet the codes of practice to keep children safe online, or the UK media regulator will make them pay the price.

In its first major policy Statement for the Online Safety regime, Ofcom said: "For too long, sites and apps have been unregulated, unaccountable and unwilling to prioritise people’s safety over profits. That changes from today. The safety spotlight is now firmly on tech firms and it’s time for them to act. Those that come up short can expect Ofcom to use the full extent of our enforcement powers against them."

Subject to the codes going through the parliamentary process, from March 17, 2025, sites will be "legally required to protect their users from illegal harm."

Ofcom noted that there are "130 priority offences", including those relating to terror, hate, fraud, and sexual abuse.